[.ca] The American Academy of Pediatrics Guide to Your Child's ... (ISBN 0375752579)

From Amazon.com:
It would be nice to have pediatricians at your beck and call for every cough and wheeze, but the era of house visits is past. When the weather's raw and your child's in pain, start with your reference shelf. Donald Schiff and Steven Shelov have arranged the contents of the Guide to Your Child's Symptoms by the child's age: you'll find symptom guides from baby's colic, diarrhea, and spitting up to your adolescent's anxiety, depression, and skin problems. For each symptom, there's a description of usual causes, a chart of questions to consider, and what action to take. There's also an illustrated "First-Aid Manual." Guide to Your Child's Symptoms is a first-rate resource that explains when bed rest will do and when to get on the phone to your pediatrician.

very incomplete home reference:
Based on the good reviews I read on this site, I purchased the book. Consequently, I am making my first ever return of a purchase to Amazon.com. It certainly did not live up to my expectations -- I wanted a pediatric home reference I could turn to in the middle of the night. Like for the common childhood ailments that don't need emergency treatment or a doctor's attention. There's barely any suggestions for home remedies-- e.g., how to make your child more comfortable at night when he has a cold. Instead, practically everything my husband and I looked up suggested "Consult your pediatrician." Moreover, the symptoms are discussed in such a limited fashion, what are you supposed to do if it's something in between-- or just one and not the other? Le me guess--- consult your pediatrician. It was so infuriating until we realized that it was produced by the American Academy of Pediatrics-- so now it looks to us like they're promoting the business or something. I will continue searching for an adequate home reference. Something I can turn to during the times when CLEARLY I don't need to call 911 or call the pediatrician.

Wonderful Reference!:
I can't tell you how many times I have referenced this book in the middle of the night. It has been a tremendous source of comfort. I like the reference format with the grid of symptoms. The only thing that could make this better would be pictures of what rashes (like the trademark bullseye of a Lyme's disease-infected tick bite or a chicken pox mark) look like.

Very helpful in a pinch:
This is the first place I go when I have a question about my 5-month-old's health. So often I haven't been sure if it is something serious or something normal and this book has helped me decide. The format really helped to clear things up. I wish some of the sections (rashes especially) would have little pictures to help you determine if it applied for you or not. It also helps me to know the critical issues so when I do talk to the pediatrician I can describe the symptoms a little better.

Great Reference:
We've looked in this book a few times to answer questions. If you think there is a problem, you will call your pediatrician. For that reason I would say that this is clearly a secondary reference. As such, we have used it to see that our son was progressing well through a particular illness or what have you. It's a very good point of reference.

ANSWERS FOR ANXIOUS PARENTS:
Why does my newborn baby scream every night? Why won't my baby sleep in her crib? Why does she spit up at every feeding? Breast or bottle - which is best? When a parent needs an answer, often it is when no one is available to answer. The middle of the night is no time to ponder whether or not your baby has an ear infection. Use this handbook as a resource for help and comfort as you try to navigate the complex channels of parenthood. The book provides timely advice and information on the most common baby questions, including great info on what to expect and how-to's for new parents, grandparents and caregivers. Keep a copy in the nursery, you'll reach for it often. Your baby did not come with a set of instructions -- this handbook is the next best thing.